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Tuesday, February 18, 2014

The deed is done: with Lopez in regime's hands, it is worse for them

Troubled morning in Caracas (and Venezuela for that matter). The regime finally got its hands on Leopoldo Lopez about 1 hour before I type this lines. But I guess that soon it will wish it had not done so. Then again, with the psychopath faced folks that run the show like Cabello, it is to be doubted they understand their error, probably sickly celebrating in some quarters while, I am sure, a large chunk of chavismo itself is watching in horror at the monster they have created. Because yes, I have the feel that Cabello is behind that arrest as Lopez is all that he is not nor can he ever be. He may have forced Maduro's hand on that opus to weaken Maduro but in the end he will be swept away in infamy all the same.

Briefly the events. The regime made an extraordinary deployment of police and troops around the gathering point of the march called by the opposition. NOTE: I say the opposition as a whole because the cause is now well beyond Voluntad Popular or AD or Capriles, or... The objective was to block access, in the silly idea that people would simply turn back and go home or work. It did not work out. The regime even had closed nearby subway stations. People came anyway and the result is in the two pictures around, one of the police circle, and one of the people filling up, all in white, the Francisco de Miranda avenue. Note: there are gazzillions of pictures on the Tweet, better than those I picked earlier this morning. But the ones I pick will do.

Then I had to go to work and dropped off the grid for an hour. I am in San Felipe, had I been in Caracas I would have been in white in the crowd. Good thing that they did not need me there.

When I could get on line again it was to see that the march had not started but that the march called by chavismo to void the streets of downtown Caracas for the opposition was going in full though with nobody in when compared to the opposition gathering. The red shirted storm troopers did make it to the original goal of Lopez but in, well, pitiful number. Someone scared did get the guts to take the picture below, from his or her hiding place.

But event were unfolding at Chacaito where the march was blocked. Leopoldo Lopez decided to surrender himself anyway there. After all, it was quite clear that such a show of force by the regime meant that in fact they were afraid that they could not control their storm troopers elsewhere, in wait at ambush points, you can be sure. So he did the sensible thing: he climbed on the statue of Jose Marti and made his farewell speech (and tweet a few minutes earlier).
Then he went to a Nazional guard vehicle and left us this picture for posterity.

I also add a few relevant pictures that just became available as I am typing this entry. The first one is his good bye to his wife, with his emotion raw, painful to watch. The second one when a truly pained Maria Corina Machado reaches to touch him.

What next? A few pictures will do.

First, we have now officially a new political martyr cum icon. Let's start with his picture of his last speech at Marti's foot (how appropriate!)

Then let's look at how the crowd overflowed and blocked the main highway of Caracas, blocking all of the city.

then let's look at how Maracaibo was in spite of the sun and heat. And I can add pictures of other places.

This is FAR, FAR from being over. I will write more tonight, I need to gather my thoughts some before I update what I wrote on "scripts" in recent days.

.. how true ... the question is , who has who in custody ... Venezuela looks relatively orderly compared to Ukraine (18 to 20 dead in protests) ...Lopez is playing geopolitical chess , and I think the Maduro crowd is pissing in its pants ...

It's very hard for them to accept that they have been misrepresenting the situation for so long. All they ever say is "hundreds of people" for the oppo and "a crowd of thousands" for the government no matter what is happening. Nevermind, the people that matter got the message.

It's very hard for them to accept that they have been misrepresenting the situation for so long. All they ever say is "hundreds of people" for the oppo and "a crowd of thousands" for the government no matter what is happening.

Can you imagine if the US were to more accurately represent what's happening in Vzla, while they genuflect to mercantilism and keep buying/paying for Vz oil? Some folks in Congress might get really antsy ...

And that's why, I believe, the US media -- in collaboration, if not on orders from the US State Dept. -- downpedals the issues in Vz.

Lopez is showed more bravery today than all the cowardly Chavistas have for the last 15 years. Lopez did not hold a gun or wear a military uniform. This is a historic day. Get the statues of Leopold Lopez ready.

Chavez was a coward and hid under a desk in his coup leadership. Maduro wants to be a Leader but is afraid to go against Cuban rule or even act counter to a dead Chavez. Cabello is a waste.

But the person that would try to hide its identity is already hidden behind the mlitary man at the left of the picture! look carefully how the venezuelan flag is being held and youll conclude that.

And if it came about concealing ones identity, he could have covered his face with his hand, or hide behind someone else, or crouch/duck/bend, or just turn your back to the camera,or use a helmet, and so on... so many easy ways to conceal his identity, and yet, he chose to use an extended venezuelan flag that, coincidentally, happens to be right behind lopez at the right moment...

Brave, Brave Leopoldo! It takes MAJOR cojunas to do what he just did. The type that Cabellos and Maduro sooo lack and wish they had even 10% of that. An you are right Daniel 100% the Regime will wish they never took him in. They just made him a Martyr and the pueblo would not even let the tank move until Leopoldo asked them too move out of the way. If the regime has any 2 cents worth of inteligence they will let him go sooner rather than later otherwise risk complete and utter chaos. If this were a game of Chess well then my friend Leopoldo has just put this ROBOLUCION in Check and the King is about to go down in flames!

On more than one occasion, Chavez has been compared to another populist autocrat, Juan Peron of Argentina. The recent imprisonment of Leopoldo Lopez suggests another comparison. Peron was labor minister in the 1943-45 military government. Peron's increasing popularity led to his being imprisoned in 1945. Within a short time of his imprisonment, there were massive demonstrations and speeches in favor of his being released. Evita, not yet married to Juan Domingo, was involved in the "free Peron" movement. Within days, Peron was released, and elections were called. Juan Domingo and Evita married, he was elected President, and the rest is history.

I hope this can carry enough momentum to actually change things. I think what Lopez did was very intelligent, especially if he wants to make the regime look bad in the international press. However, I wonder if it will be enough to actually enact long-term change, and I can see how it might actually set things back. There are still a lot of people who want to saquear and want easy money/easy everything.....

Also am wondering if Dudamel's international career will have any glitches due to his support of this dictatorship.... Did you read the letter by Gabriela Montero?

Gabriela's impassioned letter to her fellow musicians and Venezuelan artists in general delivers a strong message. The time for apathy is over. They can't just go on ignoring the situation. But Gustavo's career is in no danger. He lives and works elsewhere and mostly in s country that seems to care little about Venezuela's plight.

Nothing will happen....people will go home....they made their point. ....As far as Lopez is concerned. ..people exposing their ball'z this way , get them ripped off.....of course I hope for the best...My experience with Venezalanos...they like it easy...today was easy...just like when they marched for change against Chaves.....If it's the "end"..it's the end of easy.

The dirty war has already begun. Government-backed colectivos can shoot and kill you without recourse. Meanwhile opposition leaders will be rounded up. People will start being disappeared soon. The sooner the people realizes this is a war the better.

No argument here...but...have u ever been there?...outside of this blog?..venezuelans love the easy life bro. ..they bought into it with Chavez....they don't care who runs it..just as long as it's easy....sounds myopic. .I know....Best

I love how Autie Beeb made a point of showing a sea of PSUV red and only a closeup of Lopez with a few folks in white. Clearly they are doing the Eason Jordan maneuver - not-too-critical copy in favor of access to the country.

Lopez is a brave man. His actions are today are comparable with many of Ghandi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Truth and freedom cannot be forever denied, no matter how powerful the repression. I hope real change comes soon to Venezuela.

Totally agree with you. I was listening to NPR radio all day and the only protest they cared about was the one happening in Ukraine. To me the Venezuelan one is as important as the Ukraine one if not more.

"Thousands" of government supporters versus ONE PERSON who is "angry about high inflation, crime and the shortage of some staples". That´s rich! In recent years, the once famous and trustworthy BBC has become more and more ridiculous. I wouldn´t trust it more than the Syrian TV.

Hola, Thank you for your post. There is very little information available in US, I appreciate your efforts and will continue to monitor here for information. Unfortunately, there is very little main stream coverage in US about this. I am sending out info to all I know. Viva Venezuela. Gracias.

If you can walk into the Devil's den and survive than perhaps it is a symbol that any other Venezuelan can as well. It also becomes a human rights issue when you are being persecuted for crimes that you didn't do. There is more to this than meets the eye.

... Lopez is playing geopolitical chess like a master ... it took some serious cojones to do what he did today (Bravo!) ... the symbolism at that statue is terrific ...

.. the Chavistas are melting away ... they realize that their time is up ... the opposition will be taking names of the criminal chavistas and the collaborators , in order to nail the guilty to the wall (in a free and democratic fashion) ...

.. Citgo is the chokepoint ... regime can only go so far ... if it gets out of hand , US Congress can step in and legislate sanctions , hard (large bipartisan majorities) ... I believe Citgo refineries can be refitted to handle US and Canadian oil ... with that , there goes regime ' s $$ source ...

.. the question is , who has who in custody ... I believe regime ' s power is fast ebbing away ...

.. Maduro & Company will not last the year , may be gone much sooner ...

Politicians are loathe to due anything that will raise oil prices, even in the short change. Furthermore, the oil refineries in the Gulf give lots of money to politicians, have lots of employees, and have lots of influence.

Here in remote and laid back Margarita, the protests are growing daily. The protesters have effectively occupied a major intersection including a block in all directions. Unlike other protests I have seen in Venezuela, they are not leaving. They have people manning the barricades 24 hours a day and there are more of them with every day that passes. It started with the students, but the average age of the protesters is increasing. So far, the authorities have done nothing.

López' mother, Antonieta Mendoza, is the daughter of Eduardo Mendoza Goiticoa, who was Secretary of Agriculture for two years during the democratic period from 1945 to 1948. Through her, López is the great-great-great-grandson of the country's first president, Cristóbal Mendoza. López is the great-great-grand nephew of Simón Bolívar.[14] Bolivar's sister, Juana Bolivar, is Lopez's fourth grandmother making him one of Bolívar's few living relatives. His first cousin is Thor Halvorssen Mendoza.[15]

CNN has just reported that all of their equipment has been stolen. Wonder if the govt has anything to do with this? Of course the do, because finally CNN and other news outlets are pressing this farce of a govt.

When I was growing up we had a small bookcase. My fathers Harvard Classics and my mothers collection of French classical writers like Balzac, Dumas, Voltaire and Descartes in French. In French or English, we read this like history. But, the words of the Spanish masters from Cervantes, Bolivar, Juarez, Villa, Zapata, Martin and Lorca (to name a few) still have the same meaning today as when first written. Cervantes was brought before the Inquisition not once but twice and still he continued to write! Still the fight for human rights continues not only in Cuba and Venezuela but in most of LatAm and the world. We should be thankful that there still such people.

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